Wednesday, April 16, 2008

From The Grave - You Are Great

Good morning my friends,

So the whole thing with Gideon got really messy with him accidentally creating a thing of worship and then the people forgetting who he was after he died. Then again, they forgot God after Gideon died. Yet, there are lessons in Gideon's life that still speak to us today. I guess you could say that he is preaching to us from the grave.

Obviously the greatest lesson is what God did to assure that he received the glory for the victory and not anyone else. The fact that he made Israel less than what it was capable of being should tell us a lot about how God operates. It is not our ability that matters but instead our availability. Gideon was not actually a mighty warrior except for the fact that God declared he was. The army was not great and they used torches and horns to scare away the enemy, but it was God who threw the enemy into confusion. Yet, there is another lesson here I would like you to consider.

Gideon had a self image problem, and who would not if they were Gideon. He was a farmer not a warrior. He had 300 fellow farmers against thousands of seasoned warriors. Confidence may have been a problem here, I know it would have been for me. Yet, that is not how God saw Gideon and, more importantly, it is not how others saw Gideon. God had Gideon sneak into the enemy camp to hear what they were saying about him. God had instilled fear in their hearts. They were afraid of Gideon and his army of 300 farmers.

We are terrible at self image. Even if it is true that we are "farmers", the fact remains that is not how God sees us and that is not what he has declared over us. Our self image does not matter because we are being formed into the image of Jesus, and I think we would all agree that there is no one as mighty as he. We are mighty warriors because Jesus declared we are.

It may also surprise us to know what people are really thinking about us. People tend to have a better image of us than we have of ourselves because Jesus is at work in us. So throw off any negative thoughts you have about yourself. You are beautiful. You are intelligent. You are capable. You are rich. You are important. You have great purpose. You have been called into greatness, because God has declared it. He has spoken it into your life which means it s now a reality. You are who he says you are.

So, if Gideon could hear me I would thank him. And because does hear me I most assuredly praise him with a thankful heart. I am who he has declared me to be.

19 comments:

Niki said...

there is just one part i didn't get... you said "Yet, that is not how God saw Gideon and, more importantly, it is not how others saw Gideon." Are you saying that other people's thoughts about us is more important then God's?

Anonymous said...

its interesting and true that other people think better of us then we do of are selves.

audrey said...

i aggree with noah. its really easy to have low self-esteem

Ray said...

hmm... you're right Niki... but it was probably supposed to be the other way around... anyway, yes, we asked for a new poll, but PP! that is cruel... and you need to put a "depends if it is over the internet or not" option... also, it's just like recent devotions. God using the least likely people to show his glory... and it's a comfort to know that God thinks better of us than we do... (unless you're uber vain... *cough* Niki! *cough* ...)

Jason said...

thank you PP, I didn't know I was that good lookin, anyway i agree with noah, but I think i'd be pretty freaked if i was in the amry of 300.

Brandon said...

Why when all of Israel's great leaders die they always turn from God. How can Gideon hear you? I would understand God, but Gideon?

Niki said...

that wasn't very nice Rachel... who do you think I get my vanity from? Ray? =P

Olivia said...

Yay! There's a new poll...I'm not saying I like it though :P. I find it weird that other people have a higher opinion of ourselves than we do...

Naomi S. said...

Not quite sure what to write on this one.......

jessika said...

It's weird how some people think better of you, than you might think

Ray said...

Brandon, I think PP accidently left out the word "God" between "And because" and "does hear me"... it's not that hard to figure out... why would he praise Gideon? that would be, like, idol worship... and btw Niki, you can't blame me!! You're just a vain person....

Niki said...

not when i was younger... i was a very nice, humble, angelic, little girl... until i met u... and on the poll... was is just me or are some ppl looking forward to summer school?

Kendall said...

the fact that gideon won over the....uh....whoeber they were facing says that anything is possible with God......

Ray said...

When you were little, you were better at hiding your evilness! I just accidently helped you let it out... I've created a monster!! AAAAHHHH!!! *Sniff* what have I done?? ....

Kendall said...

Thats kind of hard to believe thaat Niki was an angelic little girl loll

Ray said...

hmm... don't these trains of comments make you wonder if the devotions were about Gideon or Niki? ...

Niki said...

LOL!!! that is true... i think we've been on the wiki too long... we have to comment on everything that is being said...

Stephen said...

well I kinda always thought that people think better of you, than you yourself actually do, because your just so used to yourself

sasha said...

I think that real that people have a greater way to see you but , like sometime they don't.